Resistant starches: A smart alternative for the development of functional bread and other starch-based foods

Abstract

Resistant starches (RS) are those that by localization, physical, or chemical causes, are unavailable for enzymatic attack, thus acting as dietary fiber in our organism. Several beneficial effects of the RS intake have been reported, among them, their ability to modulate glycemia, cholesterolemia, and the homeostasis of gut microbiota, the prevention of colonic cancer and metabolic diseases, the improvement of the immune response, and the contribution to the management of obesity and body weight. RS can be used as an alternative to obtain fiber-enriched foods such as bread, muffins, cakes, and cookies, as well as pasta and noodles, without drastically modifying the sensory and technological aspects that consumers expect from these traditional wheat-based products. They are also a smart alternative to incorporate fiber in gluten-free products. The present review summarizes the main recent advances on the study of the metabolic effects of RS intake, several examples of RS obtained from different sources in the native state, retrograded or chemically modified, and also addresses examples of the employment of different types of RS in the formulation and characterization of more healthful starch-based products.